Voting-machine.



No. 639,303. Patented Dec. l9, I899. C. SIMON.

VOTlNG MACHINE.

- (Application filed Oct. 9, 1899.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 639,303. Patented Dec. l9, I899. C. SIMON.

VOTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 9, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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5c and candidates.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES SIMON, OF SVAN, INDIANA.

VOTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,303, dated December 19, 1899, Application filed October 9,1899. Serial No. 733,032. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES SIMON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swan, in the county of Noble and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in voting-machines, wherein keys are pressed to register the votes cast; and the object of my improvement is to afford means for automatically registering the number of times each key is actuated and also to prevent more than one key of a kind from being actuated, except as hereinafter described.

I accomplish my object by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of a part of the machine, showing the two positions of the keys. Fig. 2 is a cross-section showing the registering-wheels. Fig. 3 is a plan of the machine with keys in place, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the universal keys.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

My invention consists of several series of keys arranged in a frame composed of longitudinal division-boards 1 1 1, the. The keys consist of vertical rectangular cases composed of the strips 2 2, interposed between side plates 32 32. The tops of the cases are closed by metal plates 12, which are provided with openings 11, beneath which are secured glass plates 13. The lower ends of said cases are open. Upon the tops of these cases are rectangular caps 3, which are secured at one end by hinges 51 and at the other by latchsprings 5. The said caps have open tops, in which are secured glass-plates 7. Beneath the plates 7 are inserted the cards 8, upon which are printed the names of the offices The cards are held in position by the backs 9, which are hinged upon pins 10 at one end and secured at the other by suitable latches 6.

The registering apparatus in each key consists of a number (I have shown three) of slotted disks 14, 14, and 14", loosely mounted upon the shaft 15, which is supported at its ends by the side-plates 32. Upon the pe rimeters of these disks are stamped the indi* eating characters, as shown in Fig. 2. The said disks are actuated by the toothed wheels 17 and 17. Spring-latches 16 are secured to the strip 2 and respectively engage the slotted disks and prevent same from retracting. The toothed wheels 17 and 17 are relatively mounted upon the shaft 19, the ends of which are secured in the side plates 32. Wheel 18 is formed integral with the toothed wheel 1'7 and is engaged by a latch-spring 21, which is secured to the strip 2 and prevents said ratchet wheel from retracting. The toothed wheel 17 engages and drives the disk 14, and the lateral lug 49, which extends from the side of one of the teeth of said wheel, is adapted to engage at each revolution the disk 14 and drive said disk one-tenth part of one revolution. The disk 14' engages and drives the toothed wheel 17, and the lateral lug 49, which extends from the side of one of the teeth of said wheel, is adapted to engage at each revolution the disk 14 and drive said disk one-tenth part of one revolution.

The actuating-bar 24 is loosely mounted upon the universal horizontal rod 28, which passes through the division-boards 1 1, &c., and through suitable vertical openings 39 in the strips 2. The upper end of the bar 24 is pivoted to a togglearm 23, which is mounted upon the shaft 22. A retracting-spring 25 is secured nearthe upper end of the bar 24 and to the strip 2 and serves to hold said bar in normal position. A ratchet-spring 20 extends from the upper end of the bar 24 and is adapted to engage and drive the ratchetwheel 18 when said bar is actuated. An idle pulley 26 is mounted between the side plates 32 and engages the universal tape 34, which passes through openings 38 in the divisionboards 1. XVithin said openings are mounted the friction wheels 33, which support said tape. A block 27 is rigidly secured between the plates 32, against which rests the lower A ratchetto limit the backward movement of said bellpart of the bar 24. The said block is adapted l to engagethe shoulder 29 of said bar when the key is pressed downward.

31 is a bell-crank pivoted between plates 32, one end of which rests against the side of the bar 24, and the other end depends through the open lower end of the key. A pin 30 projects from one of the plates 32 and is adapted crank.

A vertically-movable plate 44 ranges beneath the division-boards and keys and when moved upward is adapted, first, to actuate the bell-cranks 31, thereby pressing the shoulders 25) of the bars 24 from engagement with the blocks 27, and, second, to return the keys to their normalpositions. The said plate 44 is actuated by one or more levers 45.

The tape 34 is made of pliable non-elastic material and passes over the friction-wheels 33 and under the idle pulleys 26 and frictionwheel 33. One end of said tape is secured to one of the outside division-boards 1 and the other end is attached to an adjustable block 41, which is provided with a number of holes 42, adapted to be engaged by a fixed pin 40. The said block rests in a gain 43, made in the outer division-board 1. Thus the slack of said tape may be increased or decreased when the machine is adjusted for operation. A separate tape and adj Listing-block is provided for each lateral row of keys, the purpose being to adjust the slack of each tape so as to allow but one of the keys in each lateral row to be depressed, except when especially arranged for any two of a kind, as shown in Fig. 3, in which instance the tape 34, which passes through one lateral row of keys, is trained over the friction-wheels 5O 50 and returned through the next adjoining lateral row, sufficient slack being given the tape by adjusting the block 41 to permit any two of the keys in the two rows to be depressed.

Another feature of my invention is the universal key 46 for simultaneously depressing all the keys in any one of the longitudinal rows. This I accomplish by arranging oscillating shafts 35 in the division-boards 1 alongside each longitudinal row of keys, upon which shafts are rigidly secured,opposite each key, a pawl-lever 36, which are adapted to engage, respectively, the pins 37, arranged in the strips 2. The shafts 35 are actuated by vertically-movable stems 48, which are connected to said shafts by means of arms 47. Upon the tops of said stems are secured plates 46, which bear the imprints or devices of the several political parties, respectively. The said plates are arranged at the heads of each longitudinal row of keys.

Upon the tops of the division-boards are arranged removable longitudinal slats 4 4, which are so formed as to slightly overhang the caps 3 of the keys, the purpose being to prevent unlawfully opening said caps.

It is obvious that any ordinary number of keys may be arranged in either the lateral or longitudinal rows, the number of lougitudinal rows being governed by the number of factions or party tickets to be voted for, and the number of keys in each row is governed by the number of elective offices embodied in said tickets. However, I have shown but three in my drawings.

In the operation of my voting-machine the slats 4 4 are first removed. The caps 3 are opened by releasing the springs The backs 9 are opened by turning the latches G. The tickets 8, bearing the names of the offices and candidates, are inserted between the glasses 7 and backs 0, and said backs are then secured in their former positions. The disks 14, 14, and 14 are turned until the characters O 0 O are visible through the openings 11 and glasses 13. The caps 3 are then returned to their former positions and secured by the springs 5, respectively. After replacing and securing the slats 4 the machine is in readiness for voting. Should the operator desire to vote for all of the tickets in one of the longitu dinal rows or, by the political term, a straight ticket, the plate 4-6 at the head of the desired row is pressed downward. Thus the corresponding shaft 35 is actuated, and the pawl-levers 36 mounted thereupon engage, respectively, the pins 37, and thereby move the corresponding keys downward, or instead the operator may press the keys down separately independent of the plate 46. In voting a mixed ticket the operator presses the keys downward which bear the names of the candidates for whom he desires to vote. When a key is pressed downward, the block 27 passes behind the shoulder 29 of the bar 24, and the said bar being vertically immovable the key is prevented from again rising until said shoulder is disengaged from said block. In the same downward movement the ratchet-wheel 18 passes the inturned upper end of the ratchet-spring 20, which engages and actuates said ratchet-wheel when the key is returned to its former position, and thus the registering-wheels and disks are actuated accordingly. To return the cases or keys to their former positions, the operator passes from the machine and treads upon the outer end of the lever 45 or a convenient platform arranged upon the same, and the plate 44 is thereby raised against the depending ends of the bell-cranks 31, and thus the bars 24 are disengaged from the blocks 27 of each depressed key, which permits said keysto be raised to their former positions by the upward movement of the plate 44. The machine is then in readiness for another operation. The result of the voting is easily ascertained by removing the slats 4 4, the, and raising the caps 3. The characters appearing beneath the openings 11 indicate the number of times the respective keys were operated.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a votinganachine, a multiple series of self-registering keys, having ticket-containing caps, interposed between a series of divisional boards; a series of rods passing laterally through said divisional boards and through the interposed keys; a series of tapes passing laterally through suitable openings in said divisional boards and through the interposed keys, the said tapes passing over friction-Wheels mounted in said openings, and under idle pulleys arranged within said keys; the actuating-bars mounted upon said rods and ranging Within the respective keys, the said bars being adapted to actuate the registering-wheels contained within said keys respectively, and to look said keys when depressed; means for unlocking and raising said keys to their normal positions collectively; oscillating shafts ranging longitudinally in said divisional boards, having numbers of pawl-levers rigidly secured thereupon, and corresponding in number and position with said keys, and being adapted to actuate said keys when operated; and means for actuating said shafts, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a voting-machine, aseries of movable keys having removable caps secured to their tops respectively, the said caps containing removable cards, and adjusting-backs for securing said cards within said caps, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a voting-machine, a series of movable keys having removable card-containing caps; and the slats ranging along the sides of said series, and overhanging said keys, whereby the unlawful removal ofsaid caps is pre* vented, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a voting-machine, a number of movable keys arranged in a frame; a series of registering-wheels contained within each of said keys; actuating-bars secured in said frame and ranging Within said keys, and being adapted to actuate said registering-wheels within the respective keys, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses,

CHARLES SIMON WVitnesses:

MONROE W. FITCH, EDWARD S. KELLER. 

